[CQ-Contest] OK OK OK heres an answer SS changes

[Bud Hippisley]

At 09:41 AM 2001-11-14 , AA4LR, Bill, wrote about SS:

>The reality is that as the contest progresses, with each station we work, 
>the probability of finding an unworked decreases slightly.

Well, more or less, but not completely, true.  In years past, on CW at least, there was always a Sunday evening uptick in activity and new stations to work, with many giving out very low serial numbers, generally confirming that they had just then gotten into that year's contest.  I assumed most of these were people whose priorities and other commitments or projects or weekend travel kept them out of the shack until after supper or after dark on Sunday evening.  Part of my management of operating periods in the SS always included making sure I budgeted some chunks of time late in the contest to run around the bands picking up all these new calls. 

Of course, the SS used to start later on Saturday and run until early Monday morning (local time), so this Sunday evening pool of late participants existed in all four "lower 48" time zones.  We on the east coast could, by staying up late enough, catch a whole bunch of casual W6s who first got on after dinner Sunday night to make some contest contacts.  (In addition, some of my best and most exciting multiplier "catches" occurred between midnight and 3 am (EST) Monday morning while trolling on 40 or 80.)  Nowadays, with the SS ending at 10 pm Eastern time, we lose virtually all opportunity for those QSOs with western Sunday evening casual participants and nearly half the eastern/central opportunity.  

>It's a fundamental part of the rules -- it's part of the challenge of SS.
>
>If you change it, you end up with another contest.

Here I agree wholeheartedly with Bill.  SS is unique, and should be allowed to stay that way.  I tend to see that "slow and boring" period Sunday morning and afternoon as "the cup half full" -- it allows us "little pistols" an opportunity to play at least partial "catch up" with those favored by location or the vagaries of propagation.

Bud, K2KIR


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